I need help with circle type aquarium tank

[oxygen]

Hi,

I am new to this stuff so don't laugh . I have looked over the net but I could not find anywhere a tank with a format that I need . I would like to install an in-wall see through aquarium with circle format. By circle I mean something like the bubble/sphere ones but without the mesh. I have a rounded hole (circle) in my wall which is around 30" in diameter and 7.5" deep in which I would like to place the aquarium. Besides bubble and sphere aquariums I could not find any similar aquarium tanks. Does that mean it's not possible to make such aquarium or I was just not looking at the right places. Thanks for any suggestion and help.

Alex

[tropicalfish]

?
circle from the top or circle on the viewing side?
I've seen circular aquariums--from the top that is...
I have a 10 gallon hex, and it is hexagonal at the top...

[Esra]

Do you mean the shape of a circle bit with flat sides (like a cookie) or a complete sphere, like a basket ball made of glass?

[tropicalfish]

a basketball made of glass as Esra described it, would be a gigantic fish bowl. The circle and stuff, the ones I have seen have the flat tops and bottoms, and looking from the top, the top and bottom frame is a circle, so its like a fruit can, or something, soup can, whatever...

[55gallons]

i think they are talkin about a ball shape tank cut in half - mounted to the wall- but that would be wierd how would you maintain it ? light it etc - i've seen them smaller sconse (sp?) like things that get hung on the wall but no lights or filters are needed -

this sounds to me like a custom tank that needs to be MADE .

[Lonewolfblue]

Or could they be talking about a completely spherical tank, where it sticks out on both sides of the wall?

[alaher2]

Wouldn't that cause a lot of stress and strain towards the bottom of the tank to have a fish tank in the shape of sphere. It would need plenty of support throughout the wall, and yes it would have to be custom cause my friends and I have discussed it and we haven't seen a tank like that anywhere.

[DocOc]

I'm thinking "cookie" is what oxygen is describing, like Esra said. If this is possible, I think this would be a cool looking tank!

[Lonewolfblue]

In fact, it wouldn't even need to be circular. You could put a square or rectangular tank into the wall, and just make a circular opening in the wall. In this way, a person could hide things such as filter intakes and outputs behind parts of the tank that are hidden by the wall. Would make an interesting tank.

[bs6749]

Originally Posted by Lonewolfblue

In fact, it wouldn't even need to be circular. You could put a square or rectangular tank into the wall, and just make a circular opening in the wall. In this way, a person could hide things such as filter intakes and outputs behind parts of the tank that are hidden by the wall. Would make an interesting tank.

EXACTLY what I was going to suggest. Seems like the obvious thing to do since getting a custom made acrylic one would cost a pretty penny. Not to mention trying to figure out a stable base for something like that. The wall would have to be thick in order to hide a base capable of sustaining all of that weight.

[Lonewolfblue]

Well, depending on how thick the wall is, the tank may not be all that heavy. A 10G could be made to be a nice size, half a thick as the standard 10G, and taller and wider in size. Imagine how big a circle a 29G could be.

[oxygen]

Hi Everyone,

First of all thank you all for your responses. As TropicalFish and Esra wrote I need aquarium with a circle from viewing side which looks like a cookie as Esra said . I am not looking for spherical nor rectangular to make circular opening. If I put a square aquarium and make a circle opening to look like it is circled aquarium that with make my viewing side of aquarium between 15 and 20 inches which is almost double less than the current circle. Let me describe better. The circle hole is already made in the wall. The wall supports stairs that go to my second floor thus if I have spherical aquarium it will stick out on both sides and influence the walking on the stairs. I was thinking to make additional small opening on the back of the wall above the circle for the necessary filters and lighting. The wall is thick between 7-8 inches and the circle is in diameter of 30 inches. Hope the explanation helps if not I can post a picture let me know.


Alex

[sudz]

you will definately have to get a custom made acrylic tank. It won't be cheap.

If i do the math correctly...

Radious = R = 15 inches (since diameter is 30 inches)

Area = 3.1415 * 15 * 15 = 706in^2

Volume = 706 * 7.5 = 5301 cubic inches of water

B/c i dont know how many cubic inches of water in a gallon/liter, i'm going to have to convert to metric:

5301*2.2 = 11,662 ml of water = 11.6 liters of water /3.8 (to convert back to gallons) 3 gallons

3 gallons of water is NOT a large tank (unless i've royally screwed up somewhere.

You may be able to fit some guppies or rasbora's. But though it may LOOK big, its deciving.

Then again, i may have screwed up. Someone check my math?

[mp3z24]

Originally Posted by sudz

Then again, i may have screwed up. Someone check my math?

sorry, you did goof up the math :P the equation you used for the volume of a sphere is incorrect.

here ya go:
volume of a sphere = 4/3*pi*r^3

for a 30 inch sphere:
volume = 4/3 * pi * 15^3
volume = 14137.17 in^3

1 gallon = 231 in^3

so, 14137.17 / 231 = 61 gallons.

however, you will lose some volume at the top because you will have an opening at the top, plus the water level will be below the top opening, and the internal diameter of the sphere will be less than the 30 inches stated.

so, that ideal 61 gallons will probably be down to 50 or less by the time all the other factors are included.

~mike

[sudz]

Its not a sphere though. Its a cylindar?

[JRagg]

In any case 231 in^3 to a gallon (with your cylinder numbers) will be just under 23 gallons.

There would also have to be some sort of opening(s) on the top to get the equipment in.

This is going to have to be a custom job for sure.

[sudz]

Boy was I off! lol, Yes, definately Custom :P It'd be nice if you could just... put a rectangular one in there... and fill in the bottom portion of the hole (that the tank would make) with a cabinet and a small canister filter.

Kinda like... this (attached picture)
Whenever curves are involved, price goes up ALOT.

hehe... puting a rectangle in a round hole

As well, i'm sure that there is little support around the perimiter of the circle... you could probablyknock out the drywall whhere the corners of the tank are and put a bigger rectangle in. It could be flush with the studs in the wall, most likely at each outer limit of the circle)

Can any canister filters be operated sideways? it may fit underneath. If not, then i'm guessing an under-gravel filter? *srhugs*

whatever happens, let us know!

[DocOc]

My calculations say that there would be about 21G in there, not bad:

Area of the circle: Pi * (30in/2)^2 = 706.85in^2
Depth of cylinder: let's say 7 inches.
Area times height: 706.85in^2 * 7in = 4947.95 cubic inches.

4947.95 cubic inch = 21.42 gallons [US, liquid]
According to OnlineConversion.com.
Am I wrong?

edit: I just realized I forgot to square the radius.

[oxygen]

Hello Everyone,

I see everyone is doing the math . I am not sure how many gallons will fit in but it is not a spherical equation but a cylindrical with diameter of 30 inches and depth/high of 7.5 inches. I should say again cylindrical but with the circle on the view side not on the top. I am attaching a picture of the circle. Meanwhile I got an idea is it possible that I can actually built in the aquarium like an indoor fountain for example to seal the glass circles and make the sides with water isolation material, just an idea maybe a crazy one . As for the opening yes there will be opening on the top of the circle but from the back side so on on the front side of the aquarium the opening want be seen. So the opening will be above the circle. Currently there is only one glass just to cover the back side of the circle.

[tropicalfish]

Hmmm
You could just a a rectangular tank, and have the corners not visible. It is easier to work with, and no custom stuff is needed, except maybe an extra tall stand from the back.